Everyone dreams — even people who believe that they “never dream” and can’t remember any of their dreams. That’s according to a group of French researchers writing in theJournal of Sleep Research:Evidence that non-dreamers do dream.
In questionnaire surveys, up to 6.5% of people report that they ‘never dream’. Although most of these people report having dreamed at some point in the past, roughly 1 in every 250 people say that they can’t remembereverdreaming — not even once.
But is it possible that these “non-dreamers” do in fact have dreams, but just can’t remember them?
To study this question, Herlin et al., authors of the new paper, looked at people with REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD), a condition in which patients make movements, sometimes violent ones, while they sleep. Sometimes these movements are accompanied by speech. The movements seen in RBD are often quite complex and, interestingly, theyseem to correspond to the contentof the dreams that patients are experiencing. At least some of the actions seen in RBD are ‘acted out’ dreams.
Herlin et al. report that some RBD patients report never dreaming: out of 289 diagnosed RBD cases, 2.7% reported that they had not dreamed for at least 10 years, and 1.1% said that they had never dreamed ever. However, in many cases their actions during sleep (captured on video in the sleep clinic) suggested that theyweredreaming. Herlin et al. quote some examples:
Patient 1 was a 73-year-old man … He used to recall dream as a child, but stopped recalling dreams from the age of 20years. At the age of 53years, he started talking, yelling, and moving his legs and arms while asleep …
[Videos show] the patient arguing, swearing profanities, kicking, boxing and throwing items towards an invisible individual during REM sleep, as well as fighting again in another REM sleep episode 1year after, with no subsequent dream recall despite the nurse’s immediate inquiry.
The patient was recorded as saying (in French, translated)
What can I make to eat, I saw … You listen …(incomprehensible words, then high-pitched voice)Stay here before doing such a thing, you b*tch!
This certainly sounds like dream-like speech and actions. On the basis of these cases, Herlin et al. conclude that“dreaming production is universal, while dreaming recall is variable.”
Which raises an interesting philosophical question: what is a dream? Is it simply a subjective experience during sleep? If so, how can be sure that these patients are dreaming? Maybe they are just behavingas ifthey are dreaming, but without any conscious content. Maybe non-dreamers are a concrete example of philosophical zombies (P-Zombies) — a hypothetical creature that behaves like a normal human, but has no conscious experiences.
On the other hand, maybe some people do have dreams but never remember them. Maybe we all experience this — we might have many dreams every night, and only remember some of them. But are they really “my” dreams if I don’t remember them? Or is memory what binds together experiences into my identity?
I do note, however, that there is a selection bias in this study. All of the patients were undergoing evaluation for sleep behavioral problems, which seems to mean that they were making movements in their sleep that were a risk to themselves or others.
However, if the movements in RBD are related to dreams, then someone who really never dreams would never make such movements. Such a person could develop full-blown RBD, but no-one would ever know about it, because they would have no dreams to act out. In other words, genuine non-dreamers might be out there, and would never make it into a study like this.
Herlin B, Leu-sem*nescu S, Chaumereuil C, & Arnulf I (2015). Evidence that non-dreamers do dream: a REM sleep behaviour disorder model.Journal of Sleep Research PMID: 26307463
FAQs
Dreams serve an elusive function in our brain. But one thing is for sure: We all dream if we sleep long enough, even if you don't remember.
Does everyone have the ability to dream? ›
Yes, pretty much everyone dreams. In fact, dreaming may help foster problem-solving, memory consolidation, and emotional regulation.
Does everyone dream visually? ›
Like sighted people, blind people dream about familiar experiences. This includes things that they desire or that they fear (among other emotions). But the visual element of dreams is stronger in those who have not experienced vision loss. This is not to say that blind people can't experience visual imagery in dreams.
Should everyone have a dream? ›
Without a dream, Life is hard to live. As everyday you need a reason to live and reason could not be just limited to a high paying job, having friends for fun, or having a big family to spent time. It must be something bigger, bigger than your life.
Do dreams give you answers? ›
Not surprisingly, this creative network is also very active during REM sleep–the stage of sleep when our most vivid dreams occur–so we often wake up with a new insight or a good idea. Even rats dream up solutions to problems, found researcher Matthew A. Wilson, PhD, in his laboratory at MIT.
Does everyone actually dream? ›
Rest easy, the answer is yes: Everybody dreams. Whether we recall what we dream, whether we dream in color, whether we dream every night or just every so often — these questions have more complicated answers. And then there's the really big question: What do our dreams actually mean?
Is it common to never dream? ›
Is It Possible to Sleep Without Dreaming? It's unlikely that people never dream. It's far more likely to have issues with REM sleep, memory recall, or other sleep disturbances. Certain substances, such as caffeine, alcohol, benzodiazepines, and psychiatric medications, may affect REM sleep, which may impact dreaming.
Do deaf people hear in dreams? ›
Deaf / hard of hearing people and their dreams
After their research, they concluded that people with hearing impairments hear sounds in their dreams. The 14 people with hearing loss who participated in the study experienced sound in their dreams in the same way as the other participants.
Can a blind person dream? ›
While people who have been blind since birth do indeed dream in visual images, they do it less often and less intensely than sighted people. Instead, they dream more often and more intensely in sounds, smells, and touch sensations.
Can we see faces in dreams? ›
Overall, while it is true that we often dream about familiar faces, it is also possible to dream about faces that we have never seen before. The images we see in our dreams can be influenced by a wide range of factors and have different meanings for different people.
In this sentence, dreams (plural) is the correct choice because everyone has their own dreams. Also, each person may have more than one dream. In the context of controlling dreams, you are talking about what people unconsciously imagine at night- one normally has multiple dreams per night.
What are your dreams telling you? ›
“Dreams are often about identity, because we're figuring out who we are and what we need, and the beliefs and perspectives we hold,” says Wallace. “If you feel unfulfilled, undervalued or not the person you want to be in waking life, your dreams will often reflect that.
Is it rare to dream? ›
Studies of brain activity suggest that most people over the age of 10 years dream between 4 and 6 times each night, but some people rarely remember dreaming.
Are dreams what you really think? ›
According to the activation-synthesis theory, dreams are nothing more than a collection of random images and thoughts, projected during sleep as a result of normal brain activity. These images don't follow any narrative structure, thanks to the pons, your brain's random dream generator.
Do your dreams have a message? ›
Dreams are not merely random images but instead a language through which our subconscious communicates with us. By paying attention to symbols, emotions, and patterns within our dreams, we can begin to unravel their hidden messages.
Do dreams show you the truth? ›
Scientists and psychologists, old and new, tell us that dreams reveal critical aspects about ourselves. Dreams are a reflection of your recent state of mind, future possibilities, and changes that you have experienced.
How rare is dreaming? ›
We Dream Every Night
The brain is active all night long. Brain activity in the forebrain and midbrain is particularly intense during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, which is when we dream. During a typical lifetime, people spend an average of six years dreaming.
Can everyone achieve their dreams? ›
Achieving your dreams is not easy. If it were, everyone would do it. But it is possible, and the 5% are living proof. So get clear on what you want, face your fears, persist through the challenges, step out of your comfort zone and take responsibility.
Do non humans dream? ›
Jumping spiders aren't the only non-human animal in which we have recently found evidence of dream states. We are seeing hints of dreaming, and even nightmares, in species throughout the animal kingdom – from pigeons to octopuses.
